Control method, device, equipment and medium of washing machine with drying function

Abstract

The application discloses a control method, device, equipment and medium of a washing machine with a drying function, and belongs to the technical field of electrical equipment. The method comprises the following steps: in the case that the drying function is started, the air in the drying air duct is heated by an air heater of the heating air duct; if it is identified that the heat source switching condition is met, the air heater is controlled to stop working, so that the air in the drying air duct is heated by heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device through which the heat generating air duct passes. According to the technical scheme, the heat generated by the electronic devices in the washing machine is utilized to heat the air, and the heated air is used to dry clothes, so that the heat can be utilized while ensuring the heat dissipation of the electronic devices in the washing machine, and the energy consumption is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of electrical equipment technology, and specifically relates to a control method, device, equipment and medium for a washing machine with drying function. Background Technology

[0002] Washing machines with a drying function introduce hot air into the drying drum, evaporating the moisture from the clothes to completely dry them. However, the heating element consumes a significant amount of electricity during the air heating process, greatly increasing the machine's operating costs.

[0003] Meanwhile, if a constant power control is used to operate the air heater during the drying process of the washing machine, there will be a problem of excessive power consumption of the air heater. However, if frequency conversion control is used, a frequency control circuit needs to be configured for the air heater, which also increases the manufacturing cost of the washing machine.

[0004] Therefore, how to reduce energy consumption while drying clothes is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a control method, device, equipment and medium for a washing machine with a drying function. The purpose is to use the heat generated by the electronic components inside the washing machine to heat the air, ensuring that the electronic components inside the washing machine dissipate heat while utilizing the heat, thereby reducing energy consumption.

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a control method for a washing machine with a drying function, wherein the washing machine is a twin-tub washing machine; the washing machine includes a drying air duct, which consists of a heat-generating air duct and a heating air duct, the end of the heat-generating air duct being connected to the beginning of the heating air duct, the heat-generating air duct passing through at least one washing machine electronic device, and the heating air duct including an air heater and passing through the drying tub; the method includes:

[0007] When the drying function is turned on, the air in the drying duct is heated by the air heater in the heating duct.

[0008] If the heat source switching conditions are detected, the air heater is controlled to stop working so that the air in the drying duct is heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct.

[0009] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a control device for a washing machine with a drying function, the device comprising:

[0010] The heating module for the heating duct is used to heat the air in the drying duct through the air heater of the heating duct when the drying function is turned on.

[0011] The heat-generating air duct heating module is used to control the air heater to stop working if the heat source switching conditions are detected, so as to heat the air in the drying air duct through the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct.

[0012] Thirdly, this application provides a washing machine with a drying function, which is a twin-tub washing machine; the washing machine includes a drying air duct, which is composed of a heat-generating air duct and a heating air duct, the end of the heat-generating air duct is connected to the beginning of the heating air duct, the heat-generating air duct passes through at least one washing machine electronic device, the heating air duct includes an air heater and passes through the drying tub; the washing machine includes a microcontroller, which is used to execute the steps of the control method for the washing machine with the drying function.

[0013] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide an electronic device including a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the program or instructions, when executed by the processor, implement the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0014] Fifthly, embodiments of this application provide a readable storage medium on which a program or instructions are stored, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0015] In a sixth aspect, embodiments of this application provide a chip, the chip including a processor and a communication interface, the communication interface being coupled to the processor, the processor being used to run programs or instructions to implement the method as described in the first aspect.

[0016] In this embodiment, the washing machine is a twin-tub washing machine. The washing machine includes a drying duct, which consists of a heat-generating duct and a heating duct. The end of the heat-generating duct is connected to the beginning of the heating duct. The heat-generating duct passes through at least one washing machine electronic device. The heating duct includes an air heater and passes through the drying tub. When the drying function is activated, the air in the drying duct is heated by the air heater in the heating duct. If a heat source switching condition is detected, the air heater is stopped, so that the air in the drying duct is heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating duct. This control method for a washing machine with a drying function utilizes the heat generated by the internal electronic devices to heat the air and then uses the heated air to dry clothes. This ensures heat dissipation from the internal electronic devices while utilizing the heat, thus reducing energy consumption. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method for a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment 1 of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method for a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment 2 of this application;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the design of a washing machine with drying function without a device temperature sensor and a selection switch, provided in Embodiment 2 of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method for a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment 3 of this application;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a washing machine with a drying function, having a temperature sensor but no device selection switch, provided in Embodiment 3 of this application.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic flowchart of the control method for a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment 4 of this application;

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a washing machine with a drying function, including a temperature sensor and a selector switch (the selector switch is in the first position), as provided in Embodiment 4 of this application.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a washing machine with a drying function, including a temperature sensor and a selector switch (the selector switch is in the second position), as provided in Embodiment 4 of this application.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the control device for a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment 5 of this application;

[0026] Figure 10 This is a design schematic diagram of a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment Six of this application;

[0027] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electronic device provided in Embodiment 7 of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, specific embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for explaining this application and not for limiting it. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to this application are shown in the drawings, not all of them. Before discussing exemplary embodiments in more detail, it should be mentioned that some exemplary embodiments are described as processes or methods depicted as flowcharts. Although the flowcharts describe operations (or steps) as sequential processes, many of these operations can be performed in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. Furthermore, the order of the operations can be rearranged. The process can be terminated when its operation is completed, but may also have additional steps not included in the drawings. The process can correspond to a method, function, procedure, subroutine, subprogram, etc.

[0029] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0030] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0031] The control method, apparatus, equipment, and medium for a washing machine with drying function provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and through specific embodiments and application scenarios.

[0032] Example 1

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the control method for a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment 1 of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the specific steps include the following:

[0034] S101, when the drying function is turned on, the air in the drying duct is heated by the air heater in the heating duct.

[0035] First, this application applies to scenarios where clothes are dried using the heat generated by the various electrical components inside a washing machine with a drying function. Based on this application scenario, it is understood that the executing entity of this application can be a microcontroller. Specifically, the identification of whether the heat source switching conditions are met and the control of the air heater can be performed by the microcontroller. The washing machine with a drying function uses the air heater and the air heated by the various electronic components of the washing machine to complete the task of drying clothes.

[0036] The washing machine in this technical solution is a twin-tub washing machine, which can support the simultaneous operation of both tubs. One tub is a heat pump drying tub or a heat pump washer-dryer combo tub, and the other tub is a direct-vent drying tub or a condenser drying tub.

[0037] The washing machine in this technical solution includes a drying air duct, which consists of a heat-generating air duct and a heating air duct. The end of the heat-generating air duct is connected to the beginning of the heating air duct. The heat-generating air duct passes through at least one washing machine electronic device, which may include at least one of a compressor, a drive motor, and a motherboard. The air in the heat-generating air duct is heated by the respective washing machine electronic device, and the heated air is then transported to the heating air duct. The heating air duct is equipped with an air heater and a fan, and passes through the drying drum. The air heater can heat the air passing through the heating air duct. The air heated by the respective washing machine electronic devices and / or the air heater enters the drying drum and dries the clothes.

[0038] An air heater is a device used to heat indoor air, typically using electricity as an energy source. It heats the air through heating elements; common air heaters include electric fan heaters and radiant heaters. A drying drum is a rotating cylindrical structure inside a washing machine with a drying function, used to hold clothes. It is made of metal or plastic. Specifically, the drying drum can be a heat pump drying drum or a heat pump washer-dryer combo drum, as described above.

[0039] The user opens the washing machine's control panel and clicks the "Start Dry" button. The main control PC board generates a drying command, which turns on the air heater. Alternatively, the user opens the control panel and clicks the "Start Wash & Dry" button. After the washing machine finishes washing the clothes, the main control PC board automatically generates a drying command, which turns on the air heater. Once the drying command is generated, the air heater's power switch is closed, and the air heater begins operation.

[0040] The electric fan heater includes an electric heating element and a fan. The electric heating element heats the air in the drying duct, and the fan blows the hot air into the drying drum. The radiant heater uses an electric heating element or a quartz tube as a heat source and transfers heat to the air in the drying duct through radiant heat energy.

[0041] S102, if the heat source switching conditions are met, the air heater is controlled to stop working so that the air in the drying duct is heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct.

[0042] The heat source switching condition can be a situation where the drying function can be met even without heating the heating duct or without full-power heating; that is, the air in the heating duct can fully or partially support the drying drum to achieve the drying function. Understandably, if the air in the heating duct can fully support the drying drum, the air heater stops working; if the air in the heating duct can partially support the drying drum, the air heater reduces its power and continues to operate. Determining whether the air in the heating duct can fully or partially support the drying drum can be converted into detecting the heating time of the air heater, the temperature of the air in the heating duct, the humidity inside the drying drum, the temperature inside the drying drum, or the drainage volume of the condenser.

[0043] Specifically, the following methods can be used to identify whether the heat source switching conditions are met: 1) Based on the heating duration of the air heater: Setting the heating duration of the air heater and confirming that the air in the drying duct is heated for the set duration; 2) Based on the temperature of the air in the heat-generating duct: If the temperature value collected by the temperature sensor at the end of the heat-generating duct and / or the beginning of the heating duct reaches the set temperature; 3) Based on the temperature inside the drying drum: If the temperature value collected by the temperature sensor inside the drying drum reaches the set temperature; 4) Based on the humidity inside the drying drum: If the humidity value collected by the humidity sensor inside the drying drum reaches the set humidity; 5) Based on the drainage of the condenser pipe: If the water immersion sensor inside the condenser pipe is triggered, the heat source switching conditions are met.

[0044] In different programs, the operating states of each washing machine's electronic components vary. The set duration, set temperature, set humidity, and the height of the water immersion sensor can be adjusted according to the operating conditions of each component in different programs. A temperature sensor is a device used to measure the temperature of an environment or object, converting it into an electrical signal or other form of output; a humidity sensor is a device used to measure the level of ambient humidity; and a water immersion sensor is a device used to detect water level or water immersion status.

[0045] External air enters the heat-generating air duct through one or more of the following methods: compressor cooling fan, intake fan, perforated flow channels on the casing, and dampers on the machine body. The compressor cooling fan is a fan used to cool the compressor; in many mechanical and electronic devices, the compressor needs to be kept at a low temperature to ensure normal operation, and the compressor cooling fan lowers the compressor temperature by generating airflow. The intake fan is a fan used to introduce air into the equipment or system, generally installed at the equipment's air inlet, drawing external air into the equipment by generating airflow. The perforated flow channel is a structure with multiple small holes or slits to guide air through; by increasing the number and area of ​​the holes, the amount of air passing through can be increased. The damper is a device used to control the direction and flow rate of airflow; by adjusting the opening degree of the air inlet or outlet, the airflow is controlled.

[0046] In the heat-generating air duct, the electronic components of the washing machine in operation transfer heat to the heat-generating air duct wall panel through direct contact or through heat sinks. The heat-generating air duct wall panel directly contacts the air or transfers heat to the air molecules through molecular vibration, thus raising the temperature of the air.

[0047] The air intake fan at the end of the heat-generating air duct / the beginning of the heating air duct draws heated air from inside the washing machine into the drying drum. The fan can be a device used to generate airflow and circulate air, producing airflow by rotating blades or blade arrays.

[0048] Optionally, in this technical solution, before identifying that the heat source switching conditions are met, the method further includes:

[0049] The operating power of the air heater is determined based on the target temperature of the exhaust air from the air heater and the temperature of the intake air supplied to the air heater from the end of the heat-generating duct.

[0050] When there is no temperature sensor inside the washing machine to detect the air temperature, the air heater remains on. Based on the working principle of the air heater, when the air inside the washing machine is heated to a certain temperature by the washing machine's electronic components, the temperature of the air passing through the air heater also increases, and the power load of the air heater naturally decreases, thus achieving energy saving and utilizing the waste heat from the electronic components.

[0051] The target temperature of the exhaust air from the air heater can be determined based on the quantity or weight of the clothes and the power of the air heater. Generally, the higher the quantity or weight of the clothes, the higher the target temperature; similarly, the higher the power of the air heater, the higher the target temperature. For most textiles, such as clothing, bedding, and towels, the internal temperature of the drying drum is typically between 50°C and 70°C. Here, we can select the midpoint of 60°C as the calculation value.

[0052] The intake air temperature of the air heater is the air temperature after being heated by the electronic components of each washing machine in the heat-generating air duct. The corresponding heating power can be calculated based on the power of each electronic component of the washing machine, the waste heat recovery drying power can be calculated based on the heating power of each electronic component of the washing machine, and finally the intake air temperature of the air heater can be calculated based on the waste heat recovery drying power.

[0053] Among them, power can refer to the amount of work done or energy generated by the machine per unit time, and the unit is watt (W); heating power can refer to the rate at which the machine generates heat per unit time, and the unit is watt (W); the heating and movement of air both occur in the heat-generating air duct, and heat dissipation can be ignored. Therefore, the waste heat recovery drying power is the sum of the heat dissipation power of each electronic component of the washing machine, and the unit is watt (W).

[0054] Specifically, the power of a compressor is generally between 300W and 500W. Currently, the heating power of compressors on the market accounts for about 40% of the total compressor power, therefore the heating power of the compressor is between 120W and 200W. Here, we can choose the midpoint of 160W as the calculation value. Optionally, to increase heat exchange between the air and the compressor, a heat sink can be added to the outside of the compressor. After the washing machine has been running for 30 minutes, the surface temperature of the compressor's outer wall can be maintained at around 85℃, providing stable and continuous heat dissipation.

[0055] The power of a drive motor is generally between 150W and 250W, and its heat dissipation power accounts for about 30% of the drive motor's power, i.e., 45W to 75W. A twin-tub washing machine has two drive motors, so the total heat dissipation power of the drive motors is 90W to 150W; here, we can choose the midpoint of 120W as the calculation value. Optionally, to increase heat exchange between the air and the drive motor, a heat sink can be added to the outside of the drive motor. Actual measurements show that the temperature rise of the drive motor can reach 65K to 70K, and the drive motor can maintain a temperature of 80℃ to 90℃ for continuous heat dissipation. Here, temperature rise refers to the temperature of various components in electronic and electrical equipment exceeding the ambient temperature, measured in Kelvin (K).

[0056] During the operation of the washing machine, the temperature of the drying drum can be maintained at 60℃ to 70℃, which can heat the air outside the drum wall. The heating power of the drying drum is about 50W to 100W.

[0057] The heat generation power of other electronic components in the washing machine is generally less than 5W, which can be ignored and not calculated.

[0058] The total waste heat recovery drying power can range from 260W to 400W. Actual experiments have confirmed that, with an airflow of ≥40 CFM, 1 kg of 70% moisture content standard fabric can be dried within 120 minutes. Specifically, CFM is an abbreviation for Cubic Feet Per Minute, a unit used to measure air or gas flow rate. CFM is generally used to describe the airflow of equipment such as fans, ventilation systems, and air conditioning systems, representing the amount of air passing through an area with a volume of one cubic foot in one minute.

[0059] The operating power of the air heater can be determined using a calculation formula. The formula is:

[0060] Operating power of air heater

[0061] = Air density × Air volume × Air specific heat capacity × (Target temperature - Intake air temperature)

[0062] Air density can be defined as the mass of air per unit volume, expressed in kilograms per cubic meter (kg / m³). 3 Specific heat capacity can be the amount of heat absorbed or released by a unit mass of air under a unit temperature change, and the unit is joules per degree Celsius (J / ℃).

[0063] The advantage of this technical solution is that by heating the air through the washing machine's electronic components, the power load of the air heater can be reduced, thus reducing energy consumption while utilizing waste heat.

[0064] In this application example, the washing machine is a twin-tub washing machine. The washing machine includes a drying duct, which consists of a heat-generating duct and a heating duct. The end of the heat-generating duct is connected to the beginning of the heating duct. The heat-generating duct passes through at least one washing machine electronic device. The heating duct includes an air heater and passes through the drying tub. When the drying function is activated, the air in the drying duct is heated by the air heater in the heating duct. If a heat source switching condition is detected, the air heater is stopped, so that the air in the drying duct is heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating duct. This technical solution utilizes the heat generated by the internal electronic devices of the washing machine to heat the air, and then uses this heated air to dry clothes. This ensures heat dissipation from the internal electronic devices while utilizing the heat, thus reducing energy consumption.

[0065] Example 2

[0066] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method for a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment 2 of this application. This solution makes a further improvement to the above embodiment, specifically: if the heat source switching conditions are detected, the air heater is controlled to stop working, including: if the heating time for heating the air in the drying duct by the air heater reaches a set time, and both tubs of the washing machine are running, then it is determined that the heat source switching conditions are met, and the air heater is controlled to stop working.

[0067] like Figure 2 As shown, the specific steps include the following:

[0068] S201, when the drying function is turned on, the air in the drying duct is heated by the air heater in the heating duct.

[0069] S202, if the heating time for heating the air in the drying duct by the air heater reaches the set time, and both tubs of the washing machine are running, then it is determined that the heat source switching condition is met, and the air heater is controlled to stop working so that the air in the drying duct is heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating duct.

[0070] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a washing machine with drying function and no device temperature sensor and selector switch provided in Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0071] According to the heating power of each washing machine electronic device described in Example 1, the sum of the heating power of a drying tub and a drive motor can account for up to about 40% of the total waste heat recovery drying power. Therefore, only when both tubs of the washing machine are running can the heat in the heat generation duct be sufficient to meet the heat source switching conditions.

[0072] Within 30 minutes of the drying function being activated, the air heater needs to operate to provide heat because the electronic components of the washing machine have limited heat generation capabilities. If the washing machine does not have a temperature sensor that detects the air temperature, the heating time of the air heater needs to be set.

[0073] The set duration can be the "30 minutes" obtained from whole-machine testing, or it can be "40 minutes" or other actual test results. The operating status of each washing machine's electronic components varies in different programs, so the heating duration of the air heater needs to be set according to the operating status of each washing machine's electronic components in different programs.

[0074] To stop the air heater from working, you can disconnect the power switch of the air heater.

[0075] The heating method can be achieved by having the electronic components of the washing machine, which are in operation, transfer heat to the heat-generating air duct wall panel through direct contact or through heat sinks. The heat-generating air duct wall panel then transfers heat to the air molecules through direct contact or molecular vibration, thereby raising the temperature of the air.

[0076] The advantage of this technical solution is that by setting the heating time of the air heater, sufficient heat supply can be ensured before the electronic components of each washing machine reach the target temperature, and the operation is simple.

[0077] Example 3

[0078] Figure 4This is a flowchart illustrating the control method for a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment 3 of this application. This solution makes a superior improvement over Embodiment 1, specifically: a temperature sensor is provided at the end of the heat-generating air duct and / or the beginning of the heating air duct; correspondingly, if the heat source switching conditions are detected, the air heater is controlled to stop working, including: if the temperature value collected by the temperature sensor reaches the set temperature, and both tubs of the washing machine are running, then it is determined that the heat source switching conditions are met, and the air heater is controlled to stop working.

[0079] like Figure 4 As shown, the specific steps include the following:

[0080] S401, when the drying function is turned on, the air in the drying duct is heated by the air heater in the heating duct.

[0081] S402, if the temperature value collected by the temperature sensor reaches the set temperature and both tubs of the washing machine are running, then it is determined that the heat source switching conditions are met, and the air heater is controlled to stop working so that the air in the drying air duct is heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat generation air duct.

[0082] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a washing machine with a drying function, including a temperature sensor but without a device selection switch, provided in Embodiment 3 of this application.

[0083] According to the heating power of each washing machine electronic device described in Embodiment 1, the sum of the heating power of a drying tub and a drive motor can account for up to about 40% of the total waste heat recovery drying power. Therefore, only when both tubs of the washing machine are running can the heat in the heat generation duct be sufficient to reach the set temperature.

[0084] A temperature sensor is a device used to measure the temperature of an environment or object. It can convert temperature into an electrical signal or other form of output for temperature monitoring and control. Common types of temperature sensors include thermocouples, thermistors, thermistors, infrared sensors, and silicon temperature sensors.

[0085] Thermocouples measure temperature using the thermoelectric effect between different metals, offering a wide temperature range and high durability, suitable for high-temperature and extreme environments. Thermistors are resistors whose resistance changes with temperature, exhibiting high accuracy and stability. Thermistors are capacitors whose capacitance changes with temperature, commonly used in precision temperature measurement and control applications. Infrared sensors indirectly measure temperature by measuring the infrared energy radiated by an object, widely used in remote temperature monitoring and non-contact temperature measurement. Silicon temperature sensors are semiconductor devices based on silicon chips, whose resistance or voltage changes proportionally with temperature, offering high accuracy and stability, and suitable for a wide temperature range.

[0086] The set temperature can be consistent with the target temperature of the exhaust air from the air heater described in Example 1, or it can be a temperature selected by the user, such as "60°C".

[0087] The advantage of this technical solution is that by installing a temperature sensor and setting a target temperature, the temperature inside the washing machine can be accurately controlled, and the air heater can be stopped in time when the set temperature is reached, thus avoiding the waste of electricity and heat.

[0088] Example 4

[0089] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the control method for a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment 4 of this application. This solution makes a superior improvement over Embodiment 1, specifically: the washing machine has an air inlet at the beginning of the heating air duct, and a selector switch is provided after the air inlet; when the selector switch is in a first position, the end of the heat-generating air duct is disconnected from the beginning of the heating air duct; when the selector switch is in a second position, the end of the heat-generating air duct is connected to the beginning of the heating air duct, and the beginning of the heating air duct is disconnected from the air inlet; correspondingly, during the process of heating the air in the drying air duct through the air heater of the heating air duct, the selector switch is controlled to be in the first position; during the process of heating the air in the drying air duct through heat generated by at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct, the selector switch is controlled to be in the second position.

[0090] like Figure 6 As shown, the specific steps include the following:

[0091] S601, when the drying function is turned on, the air in the drying duct is heated by the air heater of the heating duct; during the process of heating the air in the drying duct by the air heater of the heating duct, the selector switch is controlled to be placed in the first position.

[0092] A selector switch can be an electronic switching device used to select whether the heating air duct is connected to the outside of the washing machine or to the heat-generating air duct.

[0093] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a washing machine with a drying function, including a temperature sensor and a selector switch (the selector switch is in the first position), as provided in Embodiment 4 of this application. Figure 7 As shown, when the selector switch is in the first position, the end of the heat generation air duct is disconnected from the beginning of the heating air duct, and the beginning of the heating air duct is connected to the air inlet. At this time, the heating air duct is connected to the outside of the washing machine, and the air heated by the air heater is the room temperature air outside the washing machine.

[0094] S602, if the heat source switching condition is detected, the air heater is controlled to stop working so that the air in the drying duct is heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct; during the process of the air in the drying duct being heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct, the selector switch is controlled to be placed in the second position.

[0095] If a method is found that meets the conditions for heat source switching, such as when the temperature value collected by the temperature sensor reaches the set temperature, then it is determined that the conditions for heat source switching are met.

[0096] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a washing machine with a drying function, including a temperature sensor and a selector switch (the selector switch is in the second position), as provided in Embodiment 4 of this application. Figure 8 As shown, when the selector switch is in the second position, the end of the heat generation air duct is connected to the beginning of the heating air duct, and the beginning of the heating air duct is disconnected from the air inlet. At this time, the heating air duct and the heat generation air duct are connected, and the air delivered to the drying drum through the heating air duct is only the air heated by each washing machine electronic device.

[0097] The advantage of this technical solution is that by setting an air inlet at the beginning of the heating air duct of the washing machine, the air heated by the air heater can be room temperature air that enters directly through the air inlet before the temperature reaches the set temperature, eliminating the time that the air moves in the heat-generating air duct, thereby improving efficiency.

[0098] Optionally, in this technical solution, the end of the heat-generating air duct is also connected to an air outlet, and an on / off switch is provided before the air outlet.

[0099] Accordingly, the method further includes:

[0100] When the drying function is turned off, or when the drying function is turned on and the selector switch is in the first position, the on / off switch is controlled to be in the connected position so as to dissipate heat from at least one washing machine electronic component through the air outlet via the heat-generating air duct.

[0101] When the drying function is turned off, or when the drying function is turned on and the selector switch is in the first position, the end of the heat-generating air duct cannot discharge air. Therefore, an air outlet is required to discharge the air in the heat-generating air duct in a timely manner to ensure the normal operation of the washing machine.

[0102] An on / off switch can be an electronic switching device used to control the opening and closing of an exhaust vent.

[0103] The exhaust vent can be one of the following: a damper, a perforated flow channel, or a fan. Furthermore, when the fan at the beginning of the heating duct is operating, the inside of the washing machine is under negative pressure. If the exhaust vent uses a perforated flow channel or a fan, a small amount of air from outside the washing machine may enter through the exhaust vent. Negative pressure refers to a situation where the pressure inside a certain area or container is lower than atmospheric pressure; this pressure difference causes air or gas to flow from the high-pressure area or outside the container to the low-pressure area or inside the container.

[0104] The advantage of this technical solution is that by connecting the air outlet at the end of the heat-generating air duct, the air remaining in the heat-generating air duct can be discharged in a timely manner, ensuring the normal and safe operation of the washing machine.

[0105] Example 5

[0106] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the control device for a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment 5 of this application. Figure 9 As shown, the device includes:

[0107] The heating module 910 for heating the air in the drying duct via the air heater of the heating duct when the drying function is turned on;

[0108] The heat-generating air duct heating module 920 is used to control the air heater to stop working if the heat source switching conditions are detected, so as to heat the air in the drying air duct through the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct.

[0109] In this embodiment, the heating module of the heating duct is used to heat the air in the drying duct via an air heater when the drying function is activated; the heating module of the heat-generating duct is used to control the air heater to stop working if the heat source switching conditions are detected, so that the air in the drying duct is heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating duct. The control device for the washing machine with the drying function described above utilizes the heat generated by the operation of the various electronic devices inside the washing machine to heat the air, and uses the heated air to dry clothes. This ensures heat dissipation of the electronic devices inside the washing machine while utilizing the heat, thus reducing energy consumption.

[0110] The control device for the washing machine with drying function in this application embodiment can be a device, or a component, integrated circuit, or chip in a terminal. The device can be a mobile electronic device or a non-mobile electronic device. For example, mobile electronic devices can be mobile phones, tablets, laptops, PDAs, in-vehicle electronic devices, wearable devices, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs), netbooks, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc., while non-mobile electronic devices can be servers, network attached storage (NAS), personal computers (PCs), televisions (TVs), ATMs, or self-service machines, etc. This application embodiment does not impose specific limitations.

[0111] The control device for the washing machine with drying function in this application embodiment can be a device with an operating system. This operating system can be Android, iOS, or other possible operating systems; this application embodiment does not specifically limit the specific operating system used.

[0112] The control device for the washing machine with drying function provided in this application embodiment can realize the various processes implemented in the above method embodiments. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0113] Example 6

[0114] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the overall design of a washing machine with a drying function provided in Embodiment Six of this application. Figure 10As shown, the washing machine is a twin-tub washing machine; the washing machine includes a drying air duct, which consists of a heat-generating air duct and a heating air duct. The end of the heat-generating air duct is connected to the beginning of the heating air duct. The heat-generating air duct passes through at least one washing machine electronic device. The heating air duct includes an air heater and passes through the drying tub.

[0115] The washing machine is a twin-tub washing machine and can support simultaneous operation of both tubs. One tub is a heat pump drying tub or a heat pump washer-dryer combo, and the other tub is a direct-vent drying tub or a condenser drying tub. Specifically, a heat pump drying tub can be a device that uses a heat pump cycle to provide heat and condense moisture in the humid air into water to dry clothes; a heat pump washer-dryer combo can be a device that integrates washing and drying functions, using heat pump technology to provide the heat energy required for the washing and drying process; a direct-vent drying tub can be a standalone drying device that does not require exhaust pipes to remove moisture; a condenser drying tub can use condensation technology to convert moisture into water and collect it, without needing to exhaust moisture outdoors through exhaust pipes.

[0116] The washing machine includes a drying air duct, which is the path for air movement inside the washing machine. It consists of two parts: a heat-generating air duct and a heating air duct, with the end of the heat-generating air duct connected to the beginning of the heating air duct. The drying air duct has a smooth inner wall to allow air to circulate.

[0117] The heat-generating air duct is generally made of a metal with good thermal conductivity, such as aluminum or copper. The heat-generating air duct can be installed flush with or around the heat sinks of the various electronic components of the washing machine. These electronic components may include at least one of a compressor, a drive motor, and a motherboard.

[0118] Specifically, a compressor can be a mechanical device used to increase gas pressure, consisting of one or more pistons or rotary mechanisms. By compressing gas into a high-pressure state, it reduces the volume of the gas, thereby increasing its density and pressure. Compressors include various types such as reciprocating compressors, rotary compressors, and centrifugal compressors. A drive motor can be a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, used to drive various mechanical systems and equipment. It is a key component widely used in modern industry and transportation, including DC motors, AC motors, stepper motors, and brushless DC motors. A motherboard can be a main control PC board, which is a circuit board used to control and manage the various functions and operations of equipment or systems. It generally serves as the core component of the equipment, undertaking the control and coordination tasks of the overall system.

[0119] A heat sink is a device used for heat dissipation, typically made of metal such as aluminum or copper. By increasing the surface area for heat dissipation, a heat sink facilitates the conduction and dissipation of heat. When the electronic components of a washing machine generate heat, the heat sink absorbs the heat and then conducts it to the wall panel of the heat-generating air duct through its heat-dissipating areas.

[0120] The heating duct is equipped with an air heater and a fan, and passes through a drying drum. The heating duct can be made of a material with good heat insulation properties, such as using polystyrene or extruded polystyrene to construct the wall panels of the heating duct, and covering the inside of the wall panels with an insulation film to reduce heat loss.

[0121] The washing machine includes a microcontroller, which executes various processes in the control method embodiments of the washing machine with drying function described above. Specifically, a microcontroller is a small computer chip that integrates a central processing unit, memory, input / output interfaces, and other functional modules. Microcontrollers are characterized by their small size, low power consumption, and low cost, and possess strong real-time control capabilities. They can perform various functions and applications such as sensor data acquisition, data processing, actuator control, and communication and network connectivity. Common microcontroller series include Arduino, PIC, AVR, STM32, and ESP32.

[0122] Example 7

[0123] like Figure 11 As shown, this application embodiment also provides an electronic device 1100, including a processor 1101, a memory 1102, and a program or instructions stored in the memory 1102 and executable on the processor 1101. When the program or instructions are executed by the processor 1101, they implement the various processes of the above-described control method embodiment for a washing machine with drying function and achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, they will not be described again here.

[0124] It should be noted that the electronic devices in the embodiments of this application include the mobile electronic devices and non-mobile electronic devices described above.

[0125] Example 8

[0126] This application also provides a readable storage medium storing a program or instructions. When the program or instructions are executed by a processor, they implement the various processes of the control device embodiment of the washing machine with drying function described above, and achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, they will not be described again here.

[0127] The processor is the processor in the electronic device described in the above embodiments. The readable storage medium includes computer-readable storage media, such as computer read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0128] Example 9

[0129] This application embodiment also provides a chip, which includes a processor and a communication interface. The communication interface is coupled to the processor. The processor is used to run programs or instructions to implement the various processes of the control device embodiment of the washing machine with drying function described above, and can achieve the same technical effect. To avoid repetition, it will not be described again here.

[0130] It should be understood that the chip mentioned in the embodiments of this application may also be referred to as a system-on-a-chip, system chip, chip system, or system-on-a-chip, etc.

[0131] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0132] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a computer software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0133] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

[0134] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment and the technical principles employed in this application. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments described herein, and various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions that can be made by those skilled in the art will not depart from the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, although this application has been described in detail through the above embodiments, this application is not limited to the above embodiments, and may include more other equivalent embodiments without departing from the concept of this application, the scope of which is determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A control method for a washing machine with a drying function, characterized in that, The washing machine is a twin-tub washing machine; the washing machine includes a drying air duct, which consists of a heat-generating air duct and a heating air duct. The end of the heat-generating air duct is connected to the beginning of the heating air duct. The heat-generating air duct passes through at least one washing machine electronic device. The heating air duct includes an air heater and passes through the drying tub. The washing machine has an air inlet at the beginning of the heating air duct and a selector switch after the air inlet. When the selector switch is in a first position, the end of the heat-generating air duct is disconnected from the beginning of the heating air duct. When the selector switch is in a second position, the end of the heat-generating air duct is connected to the beginning of the heating air duct, and the beginning of the heating air duct is disconnected from the air inlet. The method includes: When the drying function is turned on, the air in the drying duct is heated by the air heater in the heating duct, and during the process of heating the air in the drying duct by the air heater in the heating duct, the selector switch is controlled to be in the first position. If the heat source switching conditions are detected, the air heater is controlled to stop working so that the air in the drying duct is heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct. During the process of the air in the drying duct being heated by the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct, the selector switch is controlled to be placed in the second position.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, If the conditions for heat source switching are met, the air heater is controlled to stop working, including: If the heating time for heating the air in the drying duct by the air heater reaches the set time, and both tubs of the washing machine are running, then the heat source switching condition is determined to be met, and the air heater is controlled to stop working.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, A temperature sensor is provided at the end of the heat-generating air duct and / or at the beginning of the heating air duct. Accordingly, if the heat source switching conditions are detected, the air heater is controlled to stop working, including: If the temperature value collected by the temperature sensor reaches the set temperature and both tubs of the washing machine are running, then the heat source switching conditions are met, and the air heater is controlled to stop working.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before identifying that the heat source switching conditions are met, the method further includes: The operating power of the air heater is determined based on the target temperature of the exhaust air from the air heater and the temperature of the intake air supplied to the air heater from the end of the heat-generating duct.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end of the heat-generating air duct is also connected to an air outlet, and an on / off switch is provided before the air outlet. Accordingly, the method further includes: When the drying function is turned off, or when the drying function is turned on and the selector switch is in the first position, the on / off switch is controlled to be in the connected position so as to dissipate heat from at least one washing machine electronic component through the air outlet via the heat-generating air duct.

6. A control device for a washing machine with a drying function, used to implement the control method for a washing machine with a drying function as described in any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The device includes: The heating module for the heating duct is used to heat the air in the drying duct through the air heater of the heating duct when the drying function is turned on, and to control the selector switch to be in the first position during the process of heating the air in the drying duct through the air heater of the heating duct. The heat-generating air duct heating module is used to control the air heater to stop working if the heat source switching conditions are detected, so as to heat the air in the drying air duct through the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct, and to control the selector switch to be placed in the second position during the process of heating the air in the drying air duct through the heat generated by the at least one washing machine electronic device passing through the heat-generating air duct.

7. A washing machine with a drying function, characterized in that, The washing machine is a twin-tub washing machine; the washing machine includes a drying air duct, which consists of a heat-generating air duct and a heating air duct. The end of the heat-generating air duct is connected to the beginning of the heating air duct. The heat-generating air duct passes through at least one washing machine electronic device. The heating air duct includes an air heater and passes through the drying tub. The washing machine has an air inlet at the beginning of the heating air duct and a selector switch after the air inlet. When the selector switch is in a first position, the end of the heat-generating air duct is disconnected from the beginning of the heating air duct. When the selector switch is in a second position, the end of the heat-generating air duct is connected to the beginning of the heating air duct, and the beginning of the heating air duct is disconnected from the air inlet. The washing machine includes a microcontroller, which is used to execute the steps of the control method for a washing machine with a drying function as described in any one of claims 1-6.

8. An electronic device, characterized in that, It includes a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the program or instructions, when executed by the processor, implement the steps of the control method for a washing machine with a drying function as described in any one of claims 1-5.

9. A readable storage medium, characterized in that, The readable storage medium stores a program or instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the control method for a washing machine with a drying function as described in any one of claims 1-5.

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